Excellent brunch
The brunch is great. The qualitu of the food is high. I like the free sparkling water that they offer. Very kids friendly with cartoons playing on TV and coloring paper for them to color. Staff is very friendly. It gets a bit loud when busy.
Was there prolly 10 years ago! But I still remember the food! It was breakfast and I had one of their hashes and it was probably the veat I have ever had, came in a skillet which kept it nice and warm, the decor and atmosphere are veey comforting too, stools were my only complaint! 10 out of 10 for my experience
We arrived to Toronto and stayed in Roncesvalles, a great neighborhood! Love the place!
For dinner we started to see restaurants near by and we found this BBQ joint.
Wow! Amazing! If you want WOW come here! The staff is 5* stars, the ambience incredible, you can have a calm dinner with good music. And the food amazing, loved the corn and the ribs. Although we asked for two flavors, bama and lemon. I prefer the bama, more juicy! And I am new in Canada, it’s the first time I Visit Canada but they have two choices: still water or sparkling water! Crazy! Love it! Canada you should consider about #zomatogold 😉
The ribs are best . They are succulent and so good in taste .The service here is also good and the drinks are more than enough to serve your appetite .I would recommend you to go here once 🍴
The ribs and the wings are so darn good. I especially like their dry rubs. However, I did have the unfortunate experience of finding the food extremely salty one time when it was a specials night, so perhaps good to avoid that particular day.
Visiting from Winnipeg and my sister picked out this spot. We had a fantastic experience! Great service, atmosphere and food for groups of any size. Not too loud inside! Totally would recommend.
We had lunch on the patio. They give you seasoned popcorn to start. I had the smoked salmon wrap (excellent) and barque Caesar salad (Also quite good). Recommend giving it a try.
One of the best bbq joints in town, great service and great food make for quite the experience. Barque will blow your mind with their take on bbq.
Had a fantastic meal here and highly recommend it. The caraway stout sausage was delectable and pulled pork was very tender and juicy. Even the fries were covered in a delicious blend of sauces. I will definitely be returning.
I feel bad saying this but my favourite part of my meal here was the Caesar salad. Like really fantastic caeser salad! The baby back ribs were a close second. I also tried the brisket which was very soft and melt in your mouth. The kale salad was only ok. The pickled veggies were good, not great. Overall I think you need to be more of a meat lover to truly appreciate this BBQ house.
We live in the east end, and there are a few awesome BBQ places there, in Riverdale and Leslieville, but tonight we were in search of something different, so out to Barque we went for a birthday celebration! From the second we entered, we loved it. GREAT vibe...casual, unpretentious, family-oriented, laid back. GREAT staff...friendly, attentive, flexible. And the food? Amazing. One of our group was a vegetarian, and there was plenty for him to eat. The other three of us enjoyed Smoker's Choice, a start to finish extravaganza. Everything was fresh, and perfectly prepared, and the meat was wow. I had also noted a birthday in our group on my Open Table ressie, and a lovely candle was forthcoming :) A lovely evening!
We are big fans of Southern style BBQ and were keen to visit Barque for the first time. Overall the visit was good, but uneven. The 4 oz. brisket was spot on, as was the Chorizo sausage. The ribs, on the other hand, were a disappointment. We had the Rib Taster (1/3 rack of each available style) so we could try each one. One portion (with the house sauce) was cooked nicely, with a nice bite back and delicious sauce. The other two were overcooked (one to the point to dryness and little flavour), so we were disappointed. The sides were good to great. The "Cajun" mac&cheese was a good mac&cheese, but if there was anything Cajun about the flavour it passed us by. The garlic green beans, on the other hand, were great; crispy and flavourful! We'll give these folks another try, but likely avoid the ribs next time (pulled pork and chicken here we come!).
Came here for the weekend brunch! I was looking forward to try the smoked duck pancakes for a while. It was totally delicious and I would say this a must-have one! I was surprised that such a smoked house has kids menu and painting books for the little kids to enjoy. These sweet details and the great foods made me want to come here more times.
I have been to Barque for their family style dinners, but heard so much great things from friends about the brunch. I booked my reservations online in the morning for the same day, and they only had a reservation available at 1:00pm for a table of 2. I took what we could get. When I arrived, the restaurant was definitely a happening spot and was fully packed, including the bar. The restaurant is located in the vibrant Roncesvalles neighbourhood and attracts many locals.
Weekends call for brunch! We recently visited Barque Smokehouse (mother of Butcher’s Bar) for a smokey brunch. We arrived around noon and were seated at the bar. The place is super popular but I didn’t find that there was too bad of a line for a Saturday. I ordered the Barque Benedict, a poached egg on corn bread with BBQ hollandaise a hash and kale salad. The hollandaise was creamy and had a lovely buttery sweetness. I wanted to lick the plate.
Weekends call for brunch! We recently visited Barque Smokehouse (mother of Butcher’s Bar) for a smokey brunch. We arrived around noon and were seated at the bar. The place is super popular but I didn’t find that there was too bad of a line for a Saturday. I ordered the Barque Benedict, a poached egg on corn bread with BBQ hollandaise a hash and kale salad. The hollandaise was creamy and had a lovely buttery sweetness. I wanted to lick the plate.
My boyfriend had the Scrambled Eggs which came with smoked short ribs, mushroom jus and a kale salad. I looked over and it was gone within seconds so I assume it was delicious too!
Brunch cocktails are a thing right? Well, I decided to make it a thing so I ordered a Bourbon Smoked Sour, which is like a smokey lemonade for adults.
My boyfriend had the Barque Bloody Caesar which was decorated around the rim with candied bacon.
If you’re looking for a BBQ-filled way to start your weekend, head over to Barque for a delicious brunch!
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Great little BBQ place in Roncesvalles Village.
The restaurant itself is rather nice and the bar is awesome. They've got some TV's to watch the game and some nice high tops to go along with the scattered tables around the restaurant with the kitchen in the back.
Had a number of items there and they were all pretty damn good. The Smoked Wings were amazing. The wings were large and though it wasn't the crispiest, the meat was so juicy that it was irrelevant. The BBQ Chicken was great as well. I'm not typically a fan of smoked poultry, but they had a real nice juiciness to it. The beef brisket was also real good as it was just cut, so you still had all that juicy liquid fat coating the meat. For sides, the mashed potatoes were good while the brussel sprouts were a bit too salty, but doesn't detract from the overall meal.
It's pretty hard to find good BBQ in the GTA so it's nice to find some going down Toronto. The place itself is located off the beaten path of the downtown core, but was well worth a trip. Will definitely be back.
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I was here with my wife one evening. We each had a pound of wings, and I ordered the side of fries to share. The fries were an utter disgrace. They are the skinny shoestring frites style, which seem to be served cold irrespective of where you buy them. My order seemed to have an abundance of small bits.... Serving them in a small cast iron pan is a nice idea, but the cast iron pan is an excellent heatsink.... it will cool anything served in it very quickly. The fries have a seasoning on them, which I did not enjoy. It is due to this atrocity that I gave Barque 3.5 stars and not more, for there certainly would be more if these were replaced with standard size fries of even potatoe wedges....
The wings are roaster size, so they are the BIG ones. They are cooked exactly as I would do so in a smoker. Dry rub and smoke then mopped with a chipotle sauce. Terrific flavour profile, non-greasy wings. I like it so much, I went back for lunch with a buddy the next day.
This time, while we did have the wings, they were dry rub only. They remain non-greasy served this way. They arrive with a wedge of smoked lemon. Just the right compliment to the dry rub.
We also had a couple lunch sampler platters. The pulled pork was entirely forgettable. I found it too soft, and underflavoured. Not greasy, but nothing special.
On the otherhand, the Brisket was out of this world. Very very smokey, without being acrid. Excellent flavour profile. Best brisket I have had.
The ribs were also very good. Pefectly cooked to allow a small tug with the teeth to remove the meat from the bone. If I could smoke this well, I'd start a business.
The atmosphere is very comfortable, there is not a lot of echo in the room, so you be comfortable. Sort of roadhouse -- no carpet, wooden floors, walls, etc., but the small space almost makes it cozy.
My one complaint is the cartoon channel on the TV above the bar. That was present during both of our visits. If I were to recommend anything, change that. The novelty wears off in seconds.
I suggest that they should broadcast something like the youtube Ted talks channel to entertain the bar partrons. That's where you'd be at lunch alone, and it would be much better than reading a book or newspaper with sticky fingers.
They provide a personal wet wipe for each diner. Sauces are applied with a small brush. I wish they were from a squeeze bottle, as the brush becomes the proverbial source of "double dipping" as a second layer of sauce gets applied to a half eaten wing.....
We eat here often. Reservations are recommended as it is a very busy place, however, several times we showed up
without a reservation and the hostesses do their best to seat us ASAP.
The food is very good, I haven't tried anything on the menu that I didn't like. The popcorn sprinkled with the Barque seasoning/dry rub is delightful to snack on while awaiting your order. Smoked half chicken and the wings are my favourite. All the sides are delicious, and served in mini Lodge pans, nice presentation.
Tried this place for the second time awhile ago and enjoyed it very much. The space is very cool and situated in the trendy Roncesvalles neighborhood. Usually very busy reservations are recommended, although we've managed to walk in and be seated at the bar both times. If you love meat this is the place for you! There are plenty of combos available allowing you to sample a variety of meats in one meal. I especially enjoy the side dish options and the popcorn they give you when you sit down.
Came here with a group of friends and ordered the set menu. Every item that was brought to us was pretty good with the dry ribs and chicken wings as the clear winners. Such good barbecue food. Highly recommended!!
it was a Tuesday afternoon as I arrived at barque bbq. Neatly tucked away in a small homely hipster neighborhood. I ordered the lunch sampler with the Ribs, pulled pork, fries and salad. The meal even comes with a ice bucket full of bbq powdered popcorn for you to munch on while you drown your sorrows with a tastey beverage. As I got my meal they gave additional sauce with paint brushes so you can lather up those baby ribs. So I went to town and stroked it. It was by far the best bbq I had in Toronto and would give it the D. I'd definitely return a second time to have a go at her again.
The space was great, as were the staff, the meat sampler platter was good but not amazing, the brisket was forgettable, the ribs sauced well but a touch dry (the Obama ribs the better of the two) and the Piri Piri Potates are a waste of a side. The pea spatzle however is worth ordering again and again
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Great vibe and great service. Now to what we all go to restaurants for: the food.
BBQ is the key word and they deliver, but not the way you would think. It's a storey of two halves: protein vs. sides. The sides are the winners.
Popcorn to start whets the appetite just enough to get your juices prepared for the feast to come. I don't know why more places don't do this. We ordered one of almost everything from the sides and not a single miss. Deliciousness after deliciousness. Palmegranates in coleslaw? Genius! You wouldn't believe how good that goes, especially with the touch of tahini (or I think it was tahini). I know fries are fries, but you have to try these. Perfectly browned and on the exact level of salty.
Now the meat: ribs are ok, but something was off. It was a struggle to part the meat from the bone. Taste was great, just the battle that was exhausting. Sausages need help: more flavour please. Good news was that the sauces were so crazy good, they saved the day.
I would definitely return for the sides hoping they can fix the rib/chicken issue.
Their salads were amazing, and their chicken was quite the surprise. I wasn’t expecting too much from it, but it was some of the best I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about their ribs, which I found to be a let-down considering they’re the backbone of barbecue. However, there’s definitely more good than bad going on at Barque. For the most part, I really enjoyed the food, and the atmosphere was definitely up to par. The lacquered wood tables and brick walls lend the venue a true down-south barbecue feel, and I just know the restaurant is going to be a welcome addition to the family-oriented Roncesvalles neighbourhood.
0 By Marc Smith on 22 April, 2015 Where to Eat/Drink Share This Post Something that has surprised me as I explore Toronto is the amount of BBQ restaurants I’ve seen. I’ve pretty much seen a BBQ joint in every neighbourhood I’ve been to, including my favourite neighbourhood Roncesvalles Village . In Roncy it is Barque Smokehouse and if you ask anyone they’ll tell you serve some of the best BBQ in Toronto. Never one to turn down the opportunity for some great BBQ I booked a lunch there with a friend because I’ve heard the weekend brunch lineup can be long and I think lining while smelling BBQ is just cruel. Barque Smokehouse in Roncesvalle Village Located at 299 Roncesvalles Avenue , Barque Smokehouse is right in the middle of Roncy. My favourite Roncy coffee shop,
LOVE IT. Hard to get a table. Everything is amazing, popcorn is seasoned and brought to the table, Cesaers are rimmed with bacon bits. I love the sampler for two, we always leave full and satisfied.
Great service, great food!. Went here with two friends and we had the Smoker's Choice which came with smoked wings to start, a delicious arugala salad, and then ribs, brisket, and chicken, and quinoa and roast vegetables. The serving size was perfect, and also came with the daily dessert, which was also delicious. Our server, Astrid, was great. She wasn't always at our tables asking about things, but seemed to know exactly when to ask about more drinks, etc. Overall, very impressed! Will definitely return next time I'm in town.
Heard so much about it, had to try. Overall meal was quite tasty. A few callouts: Brussels sprouts were amazing, back ribs were good but the dry rub was too dry. Overall all the food could have been hotter. Will return though!
"Fantastic. We just decided to try this restaurant because it was so central. What a delightful surprise! They made us feel so welcome from the very first minute. Communication was no problem at all. The service was speedy and our server was just lovely.
Delectable BBQ. Great ribs and pulled pork. This place must be some of the best BBQ in Toronto if not in Canada. The service was great too!
BRUNCH. Went here for Brunch on a Sunday morning around 12, we waited about a half hour. Got the eggs benedict with brisket which was really good, the BBQ Hollandaise on top was so good & the potatoes so flavorful. WE added candied bacon on and this totally rounded off the dish. The star was the Duck pancakes which was a perfect balance of sweet and savory I wish I had all of it to myself instead of sharing.
If you fall off the vegan wagon and want an abundance of meat...Barque Smokehouse is your place.
Had the platter for two and was impressed! I think the ribs maybe the best I have had in Toronto (very memorable..Barque Obama sauce). The platter was a perfect size to share...chicken thighs, ribs and brisket (could choose Italian sausage) The sides were good (except for the penne..which was bland). Was a little disappointed there was no pulled pork on the menu..but perhaps it is on a special menu?? (saw pictures posted on urbanspoon from others).
Great place...lots of fun. Will likely go back to gorge on meat. YUM
Ribs.. yummm. We tried the sampler for 2, the ribs were by far the highlight!!
We went on a Tuesday night late. We ordered the sampler for 2. It was exactly the right amount of food for us. I loved the baby back ribs but wish it was served hotter & fell off the bone more. I'm not normally a meat eater but love ribs! We had corn, kale salad & fries for our sides. Yummy to all 3! Just wish there was a little more meat on the beef ribs but I love the o bama spices!
Must Love Meat. Ordered the sharing menu... Holy cow do you get a lot of food... Went with a group of four, and had enough leftovers for two more people! But it was delicious. Ribs are amazing. And the sides were fantastic (the risotto was outstanding)
Great take out. So as far as briket take out sandwiches go, this place rocks. Deliciously filling brisket sandwiches without breaking the bank. Got to go back for the ribs
Delicious!. Wow. We were so impressed. Everything was wonderfully prepared. The brisket was the standout for us. Absolutely yummy!!
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Excellent Baby Back ribs. I had reserved a table a week ago for my birthday and was looking forward to going. There was a huge party behind us so the servers asked us we wanted to move somewhere more quiet, I think they deserve high marks for this and I was impressed. We moved to a nice booth and were well on our way. I had the barques sampler which consists of beef ribs, baby back ribs with sweet heat bbq sauce I believe and chorizo sausage. My sides were the smashed potatoes and caesar salad. The stars of the show for me were the caesar salad with generous portions of candied bacon and real parmesan cheese in a tasty caesar dressing and the baby back ribs which were outstanding, full of flavour, and the meat was the perfect texture. I didn't care for the smashed potatoes which were bland and void of flavour and my server noticed this, she offered me fries instead if I wanted, I was pleasantly surprised for her to offer this but politely declined as I was trying to make room for dessert. Alas, the dessert was a big disappointment but if I go there again I will stick to what I know they do right, the baby back ribs and their caesar salad;)
A+ amazing. This blog post is long overdue as BS is one of my favourite places to eat and one of the best cheap eats in Toronto.
thanks to the staff
Good food but really expensive!
Brunches are great - love the pancakes! Yummy ribs and great chicken fingers, yes chicken fingers.
Great bar b que. Excellent bar bq ue , the brisket was very good , smokey , moist and tender , good service
in its a great location
Food good but very slow. Came here for brunch on saturday morning. The wait for food was very long (at least 30min), and they brought the wrong order for my boyfriend. He was too hungry so he ate it anyways. There were a few good points though: 1) we both had the barque benedict and it was very well done (both the trout and the brisket version). Not too heavy, but just the right portion size. The spinach side salad was good. 2) coffee was good. 3) complimentary sparkling water.
Barque was a great experience from beginning to end. Our group was welcomed in with the aroma of barbecue and a smile from the hostess. We sat down and the waitress instantly came and asked us if we wanted anything to drink or an appetizer. We ordered our drinks respectively with a plate of dry rub wings. The wings came and when I had the first bite. It was heavenly. For dinner I ordered the Sampler for One, which comes with 3 meats and 2 sides. For my meats I ordered Beef Brisket, Baby Back Ribs, and a Merguez Sausage. For my sides I got fries and an Asian Slaw. Upon arrival of the food I could instantly tell. This would be Barbecue to remember. The brisket was slowly cooked to perfection and the baby back ribs were just as delicious. The sausage was Spicy yet delicious. The service was impeccable, unlike any other restaurant in the City. Definitely would recommend this restaurant to other people.
Great ribs. We got take out from this place for the Victoria Day long weekend. Excellent ribs. Tangy sauce with just enough sweetness. The sides were good too. Cuban corn , coleslaw and excellent fries. Highly recommend.
Meat Heaven. Make a reservation and make sure you're ready to eat ... A lot . You'll want to try everything on the menu .... I had the sampler for one and it was soooooo good ... Mouth watering. Never tried kale before and that was an excellent side with all that meat. The bacon Caesar was okay if you eat the bacon separately because I don't necessarily like to chew my drinks .. But the drink itself was great just spicy enough.... I will go back and very soon
First Rate on all counts. Went for lunch and left very happy! Parsnip soup perfect for a wintery day.
Brisket sammy was generous and big on flavours. Try the in-house scotch bonnet/mango hot sauce. Warning: A bit goes a long way. Great wine list by the glass. Friendly knowledgable servers. Looking forward to returning soon.
Everything in this place is delicious! The dry rubbed wings were incredibly juicy, and the taster platter is great value. Also great service... And who wouldn't kill for a candied bacon rimmed Caesar?
By far some of the best BBQ in the city! Get the chicken wings! You will not regret it! They are amazing. Really nice staff. Food was awesome. Enjoyed the decor. Overall, we had a great experience and would go back in a heart beat.
Great ribs. We tried this restaurant a few weeks ago for the first time. Didn't make reservations so unfortunately got stuck at the bar. I ordered the ribs and my bf had the chicken and both were delicious. The ribs were tender with tons of flavor and I loved how many side dish options they had. Also the final bill was surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food including the portions. Will definitely come back.
They'll smoke ANYTHING!. This place is no joke. Great location, warm decor, and the food rocks.
Yes, line-ups are often on weekends; but they'll get you in quick. We ate at the bar as was the first seat we could get our butts on. I had the rack with a side of smoked asparagus. Yes, smoked asparagus. I've found a new love for this smelly-pee inducing vegetable. The bartender told us they'll pretty much smoke anything, and have tried. I thank them for that.
Great draft on tap, nice atmosphere. The food IS delicious.
Can't wait to go back.
Order the burger. Smoked burger was awsome! skip the popcorn and fries as they both have the same nasty sweet/spicy "cuban" flavour.
Totally delicious food, great service and fab atmosphere. The line was out of the door and it was full all night - tables tall and short as well as the bar. Staff were knowledgeable about the food & wine and were extremely efficient. 6 of us had the family platter, giving us 5 courses for $35 each; total bargain considering the amount and quality of the food. All the meat was incredible, especially the wings and the brisket. They accommodated my nut allergy in the blink of an eye. I will definitely be recommending this place and going again!
Anniversary Dinner at Barque. My wife and I celebrated our 27th Wedding Anniversary with dinner at Barque. This was a last minute decision, so we didn't have reservations. Wait time was reasonable. We were offered seats at the bar, but chose to wait for a table. Service was fast, friendly and attentive. We had the Sampler Platter for two. Now down to business:
I'm a BBQ fan. We sample it everywhere on our travels. We've never found a place like Barque. The food was excellent. While most Q joints are "casual", Barque raises it to a high art. The meat was succulent, moist and tasty. The spices added a mix of flavours that enhanced the meat's rich, smokey flavour. The sampler platter provided an ideal introduction to Barque's menu.
How does it compare to places like Phil's (my personal Gold Standard)? Different. Not better. Not worse. Different. While Phil's is casual, this is BBQ raised to high art - new and differnet colours on the BBQ pallette. We'll definitely be back.
Barque is a neighborhood classic. Serving up good food with good service and a good time, I would recommend anything on their menu given the tastes that come along with it. Not to mention, they also pay fair wages to their serving staff which we all love to support. Will definitely be back!
Amazing brunch and lunch BBQ spot. Their brisket omelet was the best omelet we've ever had.
Barque's is a full wage restaurant where staff are paid a livable wage and gratitude is optional. We love supporting local businesses that support their employees!
Edit - returned for dinner with family from Vancouver and order the platter for 4 (we were a table of 3) with a couple sides. Personally for us, the platter for 4 is suitable for 3 adults. It included pulled pork, brisket, ribs, turkey, and sausage. As usual, the meat was juicy and tender.
We had the Smoke Brisket sandwich and chicken wings. && totally good. The place is packed especially during brunch. Will try the meat platter next time, as they have different menu for brunch and dinner.
One of the best spots in town, the 299 dry run wings are BEST IN THE CITY! Also the Barque Rack O Bama ribs are amazing. Try both!
We got the sampler for two with brisket, pork, ribs, dill slaw, Mac and cheese and smoked wings. Everything tasted absolutely amazing. There was so much flavour in every bite. On top of the amazing food, the service was impeccable. All of the staff are so friendly (especially Adrian) and it’s amazing to know that they are paid fairly. The atmosphere is relaxed. Hands down this is the best restaurant we have ever eaten at. We will definitely go again when we are back in the area!
Great BBQ joint - I order the beef brisket sandwich with fries..both delicious and fills you up. The other menu items look just as tasty but this is my go-to!!
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